BASED ON THE NEW TESTAMENT
Congregationalism came to America on the Mayflower to reestablish a church
on the New Testament pattern -a fellowship of persons who freely choose to
be followers of Jesus Christ. The earliest Christians believed that
wherever two or three were gathered together in the Name and Spirit of Jesus
Christ, that Christ would be there with them.
The Mayflower Pilgrims also gathered together freely, committing themselves
to worship and serve together as the Spirit of God moved them. In
matters of faith they accepted full responsibility for their personal
relationship with God in Christ and allowed no outside authority to dictate
how they should believe, worship or serve God.
Congregationalists expect each member to have a personal relationship with
God as the motivating force in his or her life.
The purpose of the Church is to help us grow in our relationship with God
and our expression of God's love in our lives.